Toe walking, although not considered part of the normal development of gait, is seen as a common variant that many children go through. Within the general population of toe walkers, the diagnosis of idiopathic toe walking (ITW) remains controversial due to an ongoing debate regarding use of the word idiopathic. In medical terms idiopathic means “of unknown cause,” but some researchers believe this is not the case for toe walking. They argue just because its origins are poorly understood, or currently lack sufficient study, toe walking does not warrant the idiopathic label. Recent research has been looking at a host of factors, such as patient motor sensory deficits, sensitivity to vibration, and a possible genetic link, that may be contributing to this unique gait style. Another term used to describe persistent walking on the balls of the feet by otherwise normally developing children is habitual toe walking.
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